Therapeutically active elements of cannabis are promising for the treatment of COVID 19

It makes sense to investigate the use of flowers (leaves and inflorescences) of therapeutic hemp varieties of national selection for their effective use as an effective prophylactic agent, including for the prevention or treatment of Covid 19.

In Vitro Evaluation of the Activity of Terpenes and Cannabidiol against Human Coronavirus E229, published in the peer-reviewed journal Life, the combination of therapeutically active compounds found in cannabis has shown potential for the treatment and prevention of coronavirus infections. 

The study examined the antiviral effects of terpenes, which are naturally occurring volatile compounds found in many plants, including hemp. The composition is a combination of about 30 terpenes, including beta-caryophyllene, eucalyptol and citral.

Terpenes have shown potential for treating a wide range of viral infections in many in vitro studies, and a study published last year showed that terpenes in combination with cannabidiol (CBD) have shown extremely promising potential as a treatment for severe inflammatory reactions seen in many cases. cytokine storm that is observed during the coronavirus.

Additional studies have been conducted to evaluate the antiviral properties of terpenes and cannabinoids on other strains of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, which is less virulent and associated with a variety of respiratory diseases, from the common cold to severe pneumonia, which is considered a good alternative for preliminary studies.

When terpenes and CBD were used together, these substances showed a synergistic antiviral effect that was more potent than the control groups using pyrazofurin and glycyrrhizin (drugs used to treat viral infections). The researchers state that “CBD terpenes can be extremely useful as a preventative measure against coronavirus infections. Since the lungs are the organs most commonly affected by COVID-19, prevention of direct bronchial treatment, including inhalation, would be an ideal way to implement this potential therapeutic solution. ”

The next step of the research is a phase 2 clinical trial scheduled for the second quarter of 2021 at one of Israel's leading hospitals to determine if terpenes with cannabidiol have the same effects on Covid-19 patients. Experts are working to understand the mechanism of action of the mixture of terpenes and cannabidiol, and also to prove that this composition is effective against other strains of coronavirus or other types of viruses, such as those that cause influenza.

"If it is clinically proven that a mixture of terpenes with cannabidiol can be the first line of preventive protection for populations at high risk of contracting coronavirus, it would significantly enhance existing preventive measures such as face masks, personal hygiene and the use of vitamin D," the study authors argue. ... 

It is noted that despite the fact that the distribution of vaccines to prevent Covid-19 has already begun, the timing of vaccination on a global scale has not yet been determined. And even when vaccines are widely available, there will always be people for whom vaccination is not recommended, which makes preventive measures and new treatments very useful.

Commentary of the specialists of the Association "Ukrainian technical hemp"

National specialists have experience (unfortunately, used outside our country) of using the leaves and inflorescences of therapeutic hemp as tea or alcoholic tinctures. Despite the fact that clinical trials like our foreign colleagues were not conducted, it can be said that in the monitored cases of using the leaves and inflorescences of the national therapeutic hemp variety "Mriya" as tea makes the course of coronavirus infection extremely easy in people who are at risk. In addition, relatives or family members who are in the same room with a patient suffering from Covid 19 do not become infected with the above viral infection.

From the above, it can be concluded that prophylactic antiviral treatment, which will be used in combination with vaccines or even temporarily, until vaccination or other treatment alternatives for coronavirus infection become available, will be a valuable aid in the fight against the aforementioned ailment. It makes sense to investigate the use of flowers (leaves and inflorescences) of therapeutic cannabis varieties of national selection for their effective use as an effective prophylactic agent, including for the prevention or treatment of Covid 19.